Potato Gnocchi with Prawns

INGREDIENTS

  • 750g Nicola potatoes
  • 2 Free range eggs
  • 2 1/2 tspn Salt flakes
  • 125g Plain flour
  • 170g Unsalted butter
  • 60 (around 2 bunches) Sage leaves
  • 12 Green King Prawns
  • To taste Freshly ground black pepper
  • To taste Salt flakes
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Description: This is my take on a dish from the wonderful Alex Herbert of Bird, Cow, Fish who was such an integral member of the Pheasant Farm team in its last 6 months in 1993.

Preheat oven to 230C.

Place the potatoes into a steamer basket and place over a pot of boiling water. Steam unpeeled potatoes for 30 minutes or until cooked through but not falling apart. Set aside until just cool enough to handle, then peel.

Press hot potatoes through a mouli or potato ricer into the flour that is spread out on the bench.

Add the eggs and the sea salt to the potato, and quickly mix the eggs, potato and flour with a pastry scraper until it just comes together to form a dough. Do not over work the dough to prevent the gnocchi becoming tough.

Divide dough into quarters, then shape each quarter into a long 2.5 centimetre wide sausage, rolling on the bench. Cut off 1.5 centimetre pieces, and then gently press the tops with the back of a fork to leave an indentation which will help the gnocchi to pick up more sauce.

Bring salted water to the boil in a large deep frying pan and cook gnocchi in batches until they float to the surface (if just made, this could take as little as 30 seconds).

Drain well and transfer to a flat dish.

Place 150 grams of the butter and the sage leaves in a flat dish (32 x 28 x 3 cm) spreading butter and sage evenly. Bake for 5 minutes or until sage is crisp.

Transfer poached gnocchi to a baking dish with butter and sage, then bake for 5 minutes.

Toss the dish to flip the gnocchi or turn each over with a pair of tongs, then drizzle with 1/4 cup of the Verjuice and return to the oven for another 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining butter and a splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a frying pan over high heat and sauté prawns until pink and just cooked through. Season prawns to taste with sea salt and pepper and deglaze with remaining Verjuice.

Transfer prawns and pan juices to gnocchi and gently combine.

Divide gnocchi and prawn mixture among bowls bowls then serve immediately.